The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

The Balmoral Club has submitted a revised application to the Town Planning Committee seeking approval for a six-storey condo hotel at its Sanford Drive location.

The proposed 30-unit development will again be located at the north-east portion of the existing Balmoral Clubhouse with parking to be located at the southern side of the property. Plans include a basement for housekeeping, storage and parking, a ground floor hotel lobby, expanded terrace and public washrooms, three storeys of condo hotel units, a roof-top terrace and 91 parking spaces.

The Balmoral Club received initial site plan approval in February 2022 for a four-storey detached hotel, which was appealed by the Balmoral Phase 1 Condominium Association and the Balmoral Homeowners Association. In October 2023, the Balmoral Club developers submitted a new proposal for an eight-storey condo hotel with 50 residential units, which was denied by the Town Planning Committee.

The developer appealed and the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, in a December 19, 2024, verdict found that the Town Planning Committee’s decision to reject the eight-storey, 50-unit condo hotel “lacks the requisite reasoning” given that it had previously approved a smaller-scale version of the development at the same location.

The Committee, in its original late 2023 decision, rejected the Balmoral Club’s expansion plan because it was “incompatible” with land use and development trends in the gated Sanford Drive community. However, the Board, chaired by attorney Dawson Malone, suggested it did not make sense for the Committee to have earlier approved the same type of land use only to then turn around and use it as the basis for rejection.

The Appeals Board also upheld the original February 22, 2022, decision by the Town Planning Committee to grant approval for the smaller-scale condo hotel at the same location. It did so on the basis that the law requires all planning appeals to be lodged within 21 days and, since the Balmoral homeowners association missed this deadline, it now has no jurisdiction to hear the action.

Speaking to Tribune Business, Dwayne Mortimer, president of the Balmoral Club, said the Board’s decision to overturn rejection of its $25m condo hotel is “a win-win” for both developer and the community as the project, when completed, will help to support between 75-100 full-time Bahamian jobs

Mr Mortimer, who pointed out that February 2025 marked three years since initial site plan approval was granted, not surprisingly agreed with the Appeals Board that it did “not make sense” for Town Planning to have approved the land use originally only to then turn around and reject it - for the same purpose and at the same site - following objections by some of Balmoral’s homeowners.

Responding to some of those concerns, the Balmoral Club president said the level of investment, number of rooms and room rates that will be charged showed the condo hotel is targeted specifically at high-end clients and there will be no ‘free for all’ in terms of who has access to the gated western New Providence community that is located in close proximity to the US ambassador’s residence.

“We intend to put up a five-star hotel with room rates at $400 to $500 per night,” Mr Mortimer told Tribune Business. “This really serves to enhance and upgrade the community. I would have, during the appeal process, made reference to a number of gated communities in The Bahamas where the model [boutique hotel in a gated community] works well.

“I’m not sure if they [homeowners] thought it through properly. The majority of units here are town homes with two bedrooms, with some having three bedrooms. How convenient will that [condo hotel] be when they have guests in town? It’s a boutique hotel and we already have a lot of amenities in place.

“I think the ruling is a win-win for the Club and a win-win for the community,” Mr Mortimer added. “Some may not see it at the moment, but we are going to hit the ground running, and when we finish it they’ll approve. Yes, we are going to resubmit our application and I’m hopeful that will be approved and done expeditiously.”